BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- Alabama state Sen. Scott Beason, one of the sponsors of the state's immigration law, doesn't agree with at least one of the suggested changes to the law Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange has made to legislators.

"My position is that I have no intention to support any measure that would weaken the anti-immigration law," Beason said.

Strange wrote a letter Dec. 1 of suggested changes to the law at the request of legislative leaders. The letter states that the suggestions are not meant to weaken the law, but to help the law pass legal challenges and clear up confusion.

Beason, R-Gardendale, in an interview today, said he had not read the letter yet, but had seen initial media reports about its contents. Based on those reports he said it is his opinion that some of Strange's suggested changes would weaken the law.

One change Beason said would weaken the law is the suggestion by Strange to repeal sections 5 and 6 of the law that purport to authorize private lawsuits against public officials to compel their enforcement of the act or their compliance with federal immigration law through the imposition of civil penalties ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 per day.

Beason said that the reason those sections are in the law is to stop public officials from continuing to ignore immigration law, allowing sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants. "I think that would be a big weakening of the law," he said.

Strange wrote in his letter that repealing those sections would, among other things, cure problems under the state's constitution with respect to sovereign immunity for law enforcement.